The Necklace
by Lady Jesca
Summary: Buffy thinking back to her relationship with Angel...


Author's Notes: The Necklace is a story about reminiscing. I wrote it after I got Buffy Season 1 on DVD and had finished watching the whole thing.  
  
This story is rated G. As for spoilers, this story takes place just after Riley leaves Buffy in Season five. So nothing really new here. Also, you probably should have seen season one or have a vague idea of what goes on to understand this story through and through. And as always I take no credit for these characters. They belong to Joss Whedon.  
  
Enjoy!  
  
*~*~*  
  
Buffy looked at herself critically in the mirror. She turned her face a little to the left and then a little to the right before applying another coat of a lighter shade of blush.  
  
"That should do it." She put the make-up brush down and took out her hairbrush sweeping her hair outwards to keep her whisps of curls fresh. She slowly placed the brush down.  
  
"It's just a date. I'm the Slayer; it isn't like I can't handle a date. I have had a few." She wished she sounded more convincing but she couldn't even convince herself. She was scared.  
  
She looked down at her skirt and blouse and wondered for the third time if she should change. Maybe pants. Pants are unassuming and can be dressy without being too dressy. They can say, "Hi, I'm practical." But that was the problem, she didn't know if she wanted to be practical. Riley was practical. Look where that got her.  
  
Buffy took a deep breath and looked at herself in the mirror. Her eyes wandered down her neck as she realized she wasn't wearing a necklace. She turned to her jewelry box and opened it. After a moment of rummaging around her hand shot out of the box as if she had been burned.  
  
Her eyes stood transfixed on the object in the box. The necklace. It had been a long time since she had thought about that necklace, even longer since she had worn it.  
  
Her hands gingerly moved other necklaces and bracelets off of the item her eyes tried to re-memorize. Her body must have moved on its own accord because as she was putting on the cross, her minds eye was seeing it for the first time.  
  
He had pulled it out of his jacket pocket. She wondered a few times whether or not he had burned himself when he put it in.  
  
Angel. Her Angel. Back in a time when he was her Angel. Back in a time when things seemed simpler. Of course they hadn't seemed simple to her at the time. No at the time all she could see was the unfairness factor of being a slayer. Looking back, life seemed so much simpler then, like it catered to her. But now, with Angel gone, Riley gone, Dawn in her life, her father not in her life, a hell-goddess after her, and everything else, she suddenly found herself wishing she was back in the day when a vampire was her biggest worry. Back when the Master was her only true concern. Back when she didn't have to worry about the stress of college life, but instead had the understanding of teachers like Dr. Gregory. Back when her biggest annoyance was Principle Snider and wondering if he was going to banish her to a school musical or make her an unwilling host to another school function. Back when Angel was still mysterious and only showed up from the darkest corners of the Bronze. When she could look over her shoulder and he'd be there, just watching her, light spilling over parts of him, partly obscuring him from view. She always wondered how long he had been watching, and if she had done anything uncool during those unknown moments.  
  
Buffy smiled as she traced the bracelet with her fingers.  
  
"To hell with practicality," Buffy thought. The best thing that ever happened to her was Angel. And he was far from practical.  
  
She smiled at herself in the mirror and stood up. She was halfway down the stairs when the doorbell rang.  
  
"I'll get it," Buffy called to her mom as Dawn appeared at the head of the stairs.  
  
"Have fun," Dawn said. Buffy smiled up at her as she grabbed a coat.  
  
"I will."  
  
"It's been a long time since I've seen that necklace. Where'd you get it again?" Dawn asked with a puzzled look on her face.  
  
Buffy smiled slowly. "A friend."  
  
~*~The End~*~ 


End file.
